Using Ableton and the Boss RC-50 Loop Station

Recently, I received this question posted on one of my YouTube videos. 
"I was checking out your rc-50 video where you had it connected to your computer through what seemed to be a little black box? and it was running ableton live i believe. what exactly are the things you are running and hows it working out for you? Im asking because I have my RC-50 loaded with about maybe 2hrs worth of music, but im running out of room to put more music on there for longer sets and i thought about intergrating my computer in with it, but i dont know how it works."

Here's my "professional" response.....


"Ok, what I wanted was a backing "band", (like Band in a Box), that I could sync up with the RC-50.    What I wanted to do was use the RC-50 pedals for control, so I could start sections, tracks, whatever, and then record live loops into the RC-50 while still having everything synced together.   Ideally, I envisioned something like Band in a Box on the PC, synced to the RC-50, and that would be my "performance / backup band".

The problem I had with Band in a Box, (hereafter BIAB), is that it did NOT do MIDI sync.   So, I looked around for a "sequencer" that I could easily edit backing tracks in, and still sync to the RC-50.   I tried one or two, and the only one I found that would work correctly was Ableton live.   So, here's my set up.

I run Ableton on my PC.   I MIDI sync the PC to the RC-50 through a MidiMan USB-2-MIDI interface.   Ableton allows me to assign MIDI events to any function in Ableton.  So, for example, I can assign the MIDI CC output from the RC-50 pedal to a specific start / stop of a track in Ableton.   That gives me good control using the RC-50 pedals to run my sequencer, (Ableton), and everything stays in sync.

Now, the only problem I still have is, Ableton is NOT an "easy" tool for creating cool backing tracks.  It will do ANYTHING.  BUT, it is somewhat complex.   So, what I do instead is, I use BIAB, (or more recently I purchase MIDI backing tracks online), and import them via MIDI into Ableton.   Then, I tweak them in Ableton using Ab's MIDI instruments, etc, and get a sound I like.   Then, I assign them to tracks, etc, to create the tune I want.   Now, I have the entire package.  Once I have the backing system set up in Ableton, and synced to the RC-50, I can do jam.  I can kick off a track in Ableton, (using the RC-50 pedals), and record guitar loops over the top of it.  I can also switch between programs, etc, on the RC-50, and have Ableton follow along.

It's not perfect, and I'm still figuring it all out.  (Sometimes I have to record an empty track on the RC-50, just to get things started the way I like.  Basically, I burn one of the three loop tracks, and just use the other two...)  But, it's the most comprehensive thing I've found so far.   "